Recent advances in audiovisual (A/V) technologies have led to the development of small, affordable devices and systems that are able to provide users with fully immersive entertainment experiences. Examples of such devices and systems include virtual reality (VR) headsets. A typical VR headset includes an integrated display, headphones, and position tracking components that are worn on a user's head and that are configured to occlude the sights and sounds of a user's real-world environment while immersing the user in an A/V feed supplied by an A/V signal source (e.g., a gaming console, a personal computer, a Blu-ray player, etc.).
The immersive nature of VR headsets presents a unique problem in the context of life safety systems that are designed to alert occupants of a premises (e.g., a residence) of various hazardous conditions such as fire, carbon monoxide, intrusion, etc. Particularly, since a VR headset eliminates or reduces a user's ability to perceive his or her real-world environment, the user may not see or hear the output of notification devices (e.g., sirens, horns, buzzers, strobes, etc.) that are normally triggered when a life safety system detects a hazardous condition. Thus, the efficacy of the life system is reduced and the VR headset user's safety is jeopardized. This danger is exacerbated if the user is at home alone with no other occupants to alert the user upon the occurrence of a hazardous event.
A VR headset may also eliminate or reduce a user's awareness of various non-hazardous events, such as incoming telephone calls, a ringing door bell, the opening and closing of doors and windows, etc. While these types of events may not pose a danger to the safety or well-being of a residential occupant, a VR headset user's inability to perceive such events may create an inconvenience. For example, if a residential occupant is expecting a delivery or a service call on a particular day, he or she may have to forgo use of a VR headset for an extended period of time to ensure that a delivery or service call is not missed.
In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method for allowing a residential occupant to conveniently receive notifications relating to events occurring within the occupant's real-world, residential environment while the occupant is using a VR headset.